Notes

Notes:
So it was just Charles and Tom for this practice. You actually get to hear Tom for a change and he even does a couple rare solos. Mostly it's Charles and his Rhodes. So he responds with a full session of new songs, half of them brand new this night. My notes have track 1 written for "Doc" Smith, professor at FSU School of Music. Apparently Charles missed his birthday, so he wrote this song :)
If We Could Have a Love and Love Alibi, first sung last month, are fully developed songs now. Tracks 5 & 7 are the more complete versions. Two Women - Charles stumbles on the words, or thought, about having 2 women, funny blues number. Cherished Days is another strong song. Then we get 3rd World Advocate; I don't know where that came from but he sure has fun with it. This is followed by If - another love song, real slow - we have that discussion on the last take.
Foolin Around - this is something he used to play, he can't quite remember the words, then he goes for it - making it up where he has to. Maryann is one of Tom's songs. You can hear Tom reading the words to Charles. They get it going on the third take. Why Do I Stop was new last week, but I think he called it Why Should I Stop? Nobody can sing WHY like Charles. Then the next song, Send Her Home To Me, was one he made up on the spot the week before. The second take - he really has us hanging. The song is slow and then slower and then just gone. He gets a big kick out of his Sly Stone moment - "We blew your mind - huh?"
The evening is capped by My Funny Valentine - I think Charles lays out these difficult songs just cause he can. The vocals are so strong a couple times that it clips on the original tape ; sorry, but what can ya do when he can nail 10 or 20 decibels in half a sec. This was before we had compressors and all, it was a simple setup - mic, board, tape. And Charles - a voice with built-in reverb and effects.

For those downloading lossless to CD, drop tracks 13 and 17 to fit on 1 CD.


Update from "Sir" Charles himself:
Back in those days, I had written a song which came about because of Dr. Smith but, I didn't find it among the one's you sent. You must have caught a conversation on the tape concerning it and, perhaps I did record it but, it is on one of those you haven't examined. Love Alibi was actually written back in the early eighties stemming from a real life situation I was experiencing and going through a fling that eventually: flung!!! The other one you mentioned (I'm assuming he means If We Could Have a Love - SC) was written and recorded in Los Angeles about two years earlier. A young lady sang it but, I never did anything with it because I moved back to Florida. Take care Great Guy!!!